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written〃Cast away from you all your transgressions。〃〃Break off thy
sins and iniquities。〃〃Cease to do evil。〃（Ezek。 xviii。 31； Daniel
iv。 27； Isa。 i。 16。）
This also sounds hard。 I do not wonder。 Our sins are often as dear to
us as our children： we love them； hug them； cleave to them； and delight
in them。 To part with them is as hard as cutting off a right hand； or
plucking out a right eye。 But it must be done。 The parting must e。
〃Though wickedness be sweet in the sinner's mouth； though he hide it
under his tongue； though he spare it； and forsake it not；〃 yet it must
be given up； if he wishes to be saved。 （Job xx。 12； 13。） He and sin
must quarrel； if he and God are to be friends。 Christ is willing to
receive any sinners。 But He will not receive them if they will stick to
their sins。 Let us set down that item second in our account。 To be a
Christian it will cost a man his sins。
（3） For another thing； it will cost a man his love of ease。 He must
take pains and trouble； if he means to run a successful race towards
heaven。 He must daily watch and stand on his guard； like a soldier on
enemy's ground。 He must take heed to his behaviour every hour of the
day； in every pany； and in every place； in public as well as in
private； among strangers as well as at home。 He must be careful over
his time； his tongue； his temper； his thoughts； his imagination； his
motives； his conduct in every relation of life。 He must be diligent
about his prayers； his Bible…reading； and his use of Sundays； with all
their means of grace。 In attending to these things he may e far
short of perfection； but there is none of them that he can safely
neglect。 〃The soul of the sluggard desireth； and hath nothing： but the
soul of the diligent shall be made fat。〃 （Prov。 xiii。 4。）
This also sounds hard。 There is nothing we naturally dislike so much as
〃trouble〃 about our religion。 We hate trouble。 We secretly wish we
could have a 〃vicarious〃 Christianity； and could be good by proxy； and
have everything done for us。 Anything that requires exertion and labour
is entirely against the grain of our hearts。 But the soul can have 〃no
gains without pains。〃 Let us set down that item third in our account。
To be a Christian it will cost a man his love of ease。
（4） In the last place； it will cost a man the favour of the world。 He
must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God。 He must
count it no strange thing to be mocked； ridiculed； slandered；
persecuted； and even hated。 He must not be surprised to find his
opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn。 He
must submit to be thought by many a fool； an enthusiast； and a
fanaticto have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented。 In
fact； he must not marvel if some call him mad。 The Master
says〃Remember the word that I said unto you； The servant is not
greater than his lord。 If they have persecuted Me； they will also
persecute you； if they have kept My saying； they will keep yours also。〃
（John xv。 20。）
I dare say this also sounds hard。 We naturally dislike unjust dealing
and false charges； and think it very hard to be accused without cause。
We should not be flesh and blood if we did not wish to have the good
opinion of our neighbours。 It is always unpleasant to be spoken
against； and forsaken； and lied about； and to stand alone。 But there is
no help for it。 The cup which our Master drank must be drunk by His
disciples。 They must be 〃despised and rejected of men。〃 （Isa。 liii。 3。）
Let us set down that item last in our account。 To be a Christian it
will cost a man the favour of the world。
Such is the account of what it costs to be a true Christian。 I grant
the list is a heavy one。 But where is the item that could be removed？
Bold indeed must that man be who would dare to say that we may keep our
self…righteousness； our sins； our laziness； and our love of the world；
and yet be saved！
I grant it costs much to be a true Christian。 But who in his sound
senses can doubt that it is worth any cost to have the soul saved？ When
the ship is in danger of sinking； the crew think nothing of casting
overboard the precious cargo。 When a limb is mortified； a man will
submit to any severe operation； and even to amputation； to save life。
Surely a Christian should be willing to give up anything which stands
between him and heaven。 A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing！
A cheap Christianity； without a cross； will prove in the end a useless
Christianity； without a crown。
II。 I have now； in the second place； to explain why 〃counting the cost〃
is of such great importance to man's soul。
I might easily settle this question by laying down the principle； that
no duty enjoined by Christ can ever be neglected without damage。 I
might show how many shut their eyes throughout life to the nature of
saving religion； and refuse to consider what it really costs to be a
Christian。 I might describe how at last； when life is ebbing away； they
wake up； and make a few spasmodic efforts to turn to God。 I might tell
you how they find to their amazement that repentance and conversion are
no such easy matters as they had supposed； and that it costs 〃a great
sum〃 to be a true Christian。 They discover that habits of pride and
sinful indulgence； and love of ease； and worldliness； are not so easily
laid aside as they had dreamed。 And so； after a faint struggle； they
give up in despair； and leave the world hopeless； graceless； and unfit
to meet God！ They had flattered themselves all their days that religion
would be easy work when they once took it up seriously。 But they open
their eyes too late； and discover for the first time that they are
ruined because they never 〃counted the cost。〃
But there is one class of persons to whom especially I wish to address
myself in handling this part of my subject。。 It is a large classan
increasing classand a class which in these days is in peculiar
danger。 Let me in a few plain words try to describe this class。 It
deserves our best attention。
The persons I speak of are not thoughtless about religion： they think a
good deal about it。 They are not ignorant of religion： they know the
outlines of it pretty well。 But their great defect is that they are not
〃rooted and grounded〃 in their faith。 Too often they have picked up
their knowledge second hand； from being in religious families； or from
being trained in religious 。ways； but have never worked it out by their
own inward experience。 Too often they have hastily taken up a
profession of religion under the pressure of circumstances； from
sentimental feelings； from animal excitement； or from a vague desire to
do like others around them； but without any solid work of grace in
their hearts。 Persons like these are in a position of immense danger。
They are precisely those； if Bible examples are worth anything； who
need to be exhorted 〃to count the cost。〃
For want of 〃counting the cost〃 myriads of the children of Israel
perished miserably in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan。 They
left Egypt full of zeal and fervour； as if nothing could stop them。 But
when they found dangers and difficulties in the way； their courage soon
cooled down。 They had never reckoned on trouble。 They had thought the
promised land would be all before them in a few days。 And so； when
enemies； privations； hunger； and thirst began to try them； they
murmured against Moses and God； and would fain have gone back to Egypt。
In a word； they had 〃not counted the cost；〃 and so lost everything； and
died in their sins。
For want of 〃counting the cost；〃 many of our Lord Jesus Christ's
hearers went back after a time； and 〃walked no more with Him。〃 （John
vi。 66。） When they first saw His miracles； and heard His preaching；
they thought 〃the kingdom of God would immediately appear。〃 They cast
in their lot with His Apostles； and followed Him without thinking of
the consequences。 But when they found that there were hard doctrines to
be believed； and hard work to be done； and hard treatment to be borne；
their fait gave way entirely； and proved to be nothing at all。 In a
word； they had not 〃counted the cost；〃 and so made shipwreck of their
profession。
For want of 〃counting the cost；〃 King Herod returned to his old sins；
and destroyed his soul。 He liked to hear John the Baptist preach。 He
〃observed〃 and honoured him as a just and holy man。 He even 〃did many
things〃 which were right and good。 But when he found that he must give
up his darling Herodias； his religion entirely broke down。 He had not
reckoned on this。 He had not 〃counted the cost。〃 （Mark vi。 20。）
For want of 〃counting the cost；〃 Demas forsook the pany of St。 Paul；
forsook the Gospel； forsook Christ； forsook heaven。 For a long time he
journeyed with the great Apostle of the Gentiles； and was actually a